AN: OK, here's another episode for you. We're actually wrapping up quicker than I thought, now that I'm really looking at things. We don't have much to go here at all.
I just wanted to say, also, that I changed the title of the sequel to Grass Roots because there was already a story (I was informed) with the title One Horse Town and I didn't want anyone to get confused if you're reading both. I also wanted to say that you're all great because I actually got more reviews on my introduction into the sequel, explaining what to expect, than I get on a good number of chapters that I write for real stories. LOL I'm glad you're looking forward to continuing with our characters after we've left Sweet Junction behind us.
I hope you enjoy the chapter. Let me know what you think!
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It wasn't too long after Carol got to come home under strict orders to stay off her feet as much as possible that the hospital released Andrea with her own laundry list of limitations. And that was about the time that Daryl got the distinct feeling that his home was transformed into Grand Central Station.
At first they'd worried that the women might find the house somewhat troubling, since it was the site of the events with Ed, but neither seemed to find it any more troubling than any other location. Both were nervous about things and preferred the doors to be locked at all times, both had nightmares about the event from time to time that Merle and Daryl commiserated with each other about, and both preferred not to discuss what had happened with any great detail, but neither seemed to find the space of the house disturbing in the slightest.
Daryl could only reason with himself that perhaps it was because the house itself was not to blame at all for the events and the trauma both women had suffered. Maybe it was because they were stuck to each other like glue during the day, both resting together in the living room of his house (especially now that the furniture fairy had brought them a lovely loveseat that Andrea liked to spend most of her time on) and preferring the company to being alone during their sentences to take it easy. There was also the possibility that Miss Jo, who had almost moved into Daryl's house and volunteered as an all-day babysitter while he and Merle were working, had a lot to do with the women's comfort.
They both complained about their activities being limited, and Daryl thought that he might have cut his own throat over having to be confined to the house with both of them for more than a few hours, but Miss Jo seemed to work through that without a problem.
She quilted and she taught them some of the basics…or rather she taught Carol while Andrea looked on with little interest, she read to them and told stories about her life, apparently giving away much of what Hershel had hoped would remain secret about some of his younger days when, as he put it, his judgment was clouded with youth and feelings of invincibility, and for she came up with a variety of activities to keep both women occupied even with their restrictions.
Daryl had decided the woman was damn near a saint and no one could convince him otherwise. He was happy to see Jo Greene first thing in the morning and he was almost sad to see her go just after dinner when Hershel would, having eaten there, suggest that it was time for them to head on home so they didn't miss their "programs," which was really code for a variety of game shows that the two enjoyed but didn't want to admit that they timed almost religiously.
And so their lives crept slowly forward. Each day Carol got more miserable and more hopeful about when she would be allowed to get back on her feet, essentially meaning that the doctor had decided it was time to evict their daughter if she wouldn't come peacefully on her own, and Andrea got a little better, a little stronger, and little more immune to the damage that had been done to her muscles.
And each morning, as Daryl was getting ready, Merle arrived, grumpy and pouting as he always was when he first woke up, to drop off Andrea and Juniper who was staying with them until they heard about whether or not Axel would gain release for his crimes, and then Merle and Daryl would both head off to work just after Jo Greene pulled up in the old station wagon that she drove, bearing some form of entertainment or another for her wards.
And each evening, Daryl would come in from work and find Jo cooking, all smiles, and by the time he got out of the shower, Hershel and Merle would have come from their jobs, sitting at the table and waiting on their food to appear before them.
They would all eat together and then everyone would head off to their respective homes until the morning brought about the familiar routine and its comfortable repetition.
Daryl might have believed it had been two months or more since the accident, he'd fallen so comfortably into how things were run now, but in reality it hadn't been that long. Barely two weeks had passed and he only knew that so little time had realistically come and gone because they were still hankering for news of Ed…hankering for news of Axel…both cases were being dealt with all the way up at county and that was too far outside the town for the listening ears and gossiping mouths of Sweet Junction.
Well…for almost all of them.
One Friday, though, just as they were all settling into dinner, Michonne arrived at the house without calling, which was not exactly unprecedented for Michonne. When everyone heard her keys rattling and the door being fooled with, no one moved from their positions. They continued to eat, staring at the door and wondering how long exactly it would take her to find the right key and gain access to the house.
When she pushed into the door, Anjelica slung on her hip but quickly working on sliding off, she stared at all of them a second before gently placing the toddler on her feet.
The toddler squealed and trotted off…this was the land of Lincoln and it was a glorious land when you were under three feet tall.
"Thank you…for opening the door," Michonne said, obviously trying to get her breath a little from carrying Anjelica in from the car.
Merle chuckled, but no one else offered any response or explanation for the fact that they hadn't assisted her in gaining access to the house.
Michonne closed the door, locked it, and walked over to the stove to examine the food that was there before going quietly to the cabinet to make herself a plate.
"Why don't you join us, dear," Miss Jo said suddenly, apparently realizing that she'd forgotten to extend the invitation when surrounded by so many people who simply helped themselves when there was an interest in something.
Michonne hummed her acceptance, already dipping her plate, and grabbed a fork out of the drawer before going to lean on the bar so that she had a good view of the dining room where the table was occupied, and the living room where Andrea and Carol were eating in their queenly comfort. From there she could likely see Anjelica as well, who was crawling around behind Lincoln in some kind of toddler quest to convince the dog that she was just like him. Juniper, wanting no part of any of the toddlers, was tucked in the crook of Andrea's legs, napping.
"Ya could sit, ya know," Daryl offered. "We ain't gon' bite ya."
Michonne chuckled.
"I'd rather stand," she said. "I have a theory that if I stand while I eat it won't all go to my ass."
Andrea chuckled from the couch.
"Let me know how that works out for you…"
Michonne hummed.
"So far? Not so great…but I did come over here to let everyone know that I've decided to postpone the wedding," Michonne said.
The complete lack of segway from one portion of the statement to the next left everyone stunned. They were that silent, fork frozen in its path, stunned.
And Daryl glanced around him because he wanted to know what was happening, but he didn't want to be the one to ask, just in case this was one of those things that he wasn't supposed to ask about. When Hershel spoke up a moment later, though, Daryl was thankful that the old man had ventured to probe deeper into the statement…Hershel knew if he was allowed to say things or not…or either he just didn't care anymore. Either way, it saved Daryl from being the one to make the step.
"Something happen with you and Tyreese?" Hershel asked, wiping his mouth with his napkin.
Michonne, her mouth full, shook her head and took her time with the mouthful of food that she was savoring. When she swallowed she finally moved to answer.
"It's nothing like that," she said. "It's just…I realized that in two weeks…it's just not a good time. There's so much that I'm still not happy with. I don't like the location…I don't like the weather and it's not going to warm up enough for what I wanted. The florists don't have the flowers I want."
Michonne glanced over into the living room, shrugging a little.
"But you already sent out the invitations…" Andrea said.
"And today I mailed out apology cards too…" Michonne said. "Had to pay Betty Jenkins double to get them all written up calligraphy in time…but they're in the mail."
Daryl glanced around and everyone was frowning. He didn't think it was that tragic. Whether you got married today or you got married in a year…married was married. He'd learned from Carol that not all that much really changed just because some people heard you say what they already knew. But he tried to look as somber as the others, figuring that maybe there was something genuinely terrible about the fact that Michonne wanted to change her wedding plans.
"I don't understand," Carol said. "I thought you settled on the park and you liked it…"
Michonne shook her head.
"Too close to town," she offered. "Too much noise…and people that I didn't invite showing up…I changed my mind."
Everyone got quiet for a moment and Michonne continued eating, apparently unaware of the tragic countenances of her friends. Finally she looked up, still chewing, and glanced around.
"What?" She asked. "I'm still getting married…just not in a couple of weeks. Really…it's not a big deal. It's better this way. We'll get married in the summer maybe. Carol can bring Lil' Bit along with the girls…Andrea can still be my maid of honor…I get the flower arrangements I want instead of having to settle. It works."
Daryl glanced around and when everyone sort of shrugged at the information and went back to their plates, he figured the tragedy was over and turned his attention back to his.
"Heard anything 'bout Ed?" Merle asked, shoveling in a forkful of mashed potatoes that was far larger than he required in any one bite.
Michonne looked at him a moment like she was thinking and then nodded her head.
They'd heard some things about Ed, but they really were having a difficult time getting too much information about the man. Michonne was representing both Andrea and Carol in the case, but she'd been going back and forth with Ed's lawyer…some court appointed guy that she didn't know now that Philip Blake had mysteriously decided to disappear from the area…about the logistics of it all and exactly what the man would be charged with.
They also didn't know the extent of his injuries. It was evident that he'd survive the shooting, but apparently his injuries were severe enough that they were holding Axel in case he might not survive…or in the case that the injuries were extensive enough that Axel warranted being tried for more than he was already being charged with, which was, as far as Daryl knew, assault with a deadly weapon and they were attempting to try him for attempted murder.
"As a matter of fact, I have," Michonne said. "We've finally reached an agreement. When he goes to court we're trying him for three counts of attempted murder."
"Three counts?" Merle asked, raising an eyebrow and quietly accepting the extra dinner roll that Miss Jo passed to him without a word.
Michonne nodded.
"I'm going to argue that since Lil' Bit could actually survive outside of the womb…she counts as a third person in this case," Michonne said. "It's a stretch, but I want to make sure that his life is as miserable as it can possibly be…" She stopped a moment, chewing something else from her plate and swallowing before continuing. "Found out he's going to be in a special facility regardless, though…it's disappointing because I was really hoping he'd land in a good old Georgia prison for attempting to kill two women and a baby."
Daryl snickered. Merle had been locked up enough to know that there were ways that crimes got ranked, even by other criminals. If you were in for things they didn't much care about…things that were either justified, using the term loosely, or against the system more than anything, you didn't suffer quite as much as if you were in for something that made you out to be a first class asshole.
Trying to kill two women and a baby would very likely land you at the bottom of the food chain and at the top of everyone's dance card. It was a pity that Ed might avoid that.
"Why the hell ain't he goin' ta prison?" Daryl asked.
Michonne raised her eyebrows and sauntered back over to the stove to refill her macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes in silence…if you didn't draw attention to seconds, they never really happened.
When she got back to her perch and leaned against the bar, she spoke before she dug back into the mound of food.
"It seems that Axel's aim wasn't good enough to kill Ed…" Michonne said. "Which is unfortunate…or fortunate…depending on how you look at it. But his aim was good enough to hit Ed in the spine and shatter it. The man is incapacitated and paralyzed…I don't know where, but somewhere above the waist. So he can't go into a prison that doesn't have the facilities to handle that…"
Everyone was quiet for a moment, the information sinking in.
"At least now he's trapped in his own prison," Michonne said. "Maybe that's even better for him than anything that could have happened on the inside."
Daryl grunted, but he didn't say anything. He didn't really think anything was good enough for Ed. He knew good and well that if Ed had his way, they would have lost Carol and Andrea that day…and he would have lost his daughter too…and for no better reason than Ed Peletier was an asshole that Daryl figured was Satan spawned if there ever was one.
"What about Axel, though?" Andrea asked. "Are they really going to send him to prison for this, 'Chonne?"
Michonne sighed and cleared her throat.
"He might," Michonne said, "but I don't think he will. He's going to have the best lawyer he could get in the state of Georgia."
Carol chuckled from the living room.
"You're representing Axel too?" She called.
Michonne shook her head.
"Marvin Hart is coming out of retirement to represent Axel," Michonne said. She shook her head a little. "He's the best that there's been in Georgia in the past fifty years…he tried a lot of serious cases when he was younger too…before and after he was a judge."
"He's only does personal cases," Carol said, her statement coming out somewhere between a question and a statement.
Michonne shrugged.
"He said it was personal," Michonne said. She finished off her plate, scraping it clean and consuming the last forkful before she continued speaking. "I didn't even know he knew Axel, but he said he was doing it as a personal favor to a friend, so that's that."
"So you think he'll be able to get him off?" Andrea asked.
Michonne shrugged.
"I think he's got as good a chance as any," Michonne said. "He can't argue self-defense exactly, since Axel wasn't defending himself…but he's going to argue that Ed might have turned the gun on Axel and that Axel realized that. He's also, of course, going to point out that Axel was acting on behalf of you two who weren't in a position to defend yourselves. If it can be done, Daddy will get him the least possible sentence."
Daryl frowned to himself. That had been the worst part of all of this. He felt grateful to Axel for what he'd done. He knew Merle was grateful to the man. In both of their opinions, Axel was most likely the reason that Carol and Andrea weren't dead. Yet the court had to be convinced to see it that way because they were more focused, since the legal system is often a screwed up system, on Ed's rights and how he was wronged in the situation.
Somehow the two cases were separate, and it appeared that the one looking at the fact that Axel shot Ed, wasn't interested in looking at the fact that Ed also had a gun and fired first.
Daryl had to admit that the situation made him a little sad that the old days' of settling grievances by riding someone on a rail weren't around anymore. If justice had been like it was back then…and you could have killed an asshole for being a bad person…no one would have blinked an eye at Axel's shooting and if he hadn't finished Ed off, someone else would have done it for him when they arrived at the scene.
But those days were gone, even in a place as backward as Sweet Junction sometimes seemed.
At least, though, for whatever reason Michonne's father owed some friend a favor and would do his best to help Axel out. Michonne seemed to have confidence in her old man, and so Daryl figured he could have confidence in the old man too.
Until then they were holding strong to the belief that somehow justice wouldn't show itself to be twisted and useless and Axel would come home. They were keeping his lawn mowed and keeping a check on his house…and his little dog had taken up residence with Merle and Andrea until he could come home to make her seem a little less depressed.
And when he got home, Daryl was going to make sure he got the biggest damn welcome that they could muster up…no matter when the hell that would be…because he figured he owed the man a lot. He'd probably never be able to repay Axel to a point that he was satisfied for saving the lives he did, but he figured he could at least try to do what little he could for the man who might be facing a hell of a sentence for getting involved in some shit he didn't have to get involved in.
"Marvin's a good man," Hershel offered. "He always has been…and I've heard he's one heck of a lawyer. He's a good man to represent a man like Axel."
Michonne nodded.
"That he is," she said.
Daryl watched over the table as Anjelica toddled about. She could speak, though Michonne was one of the only people that understood most of what she said, but she chose not to most of the time. Daryl figured she was a kid of few words…either that or she just got what the hell she wanted before she even had to ask for it.
She came over to the table, though and picked Miss Jo out of the crowd, putting her arms up to the woman.
Jo scooped the little girl up and without saying anything to anyone she got up and carried her into the kitchen, rummaging around.
"She allergic to anything?" Jo asked.
"No ma'am," MIchonne said. "At least nothing that we know of…"
"Can she have an oatmeal cookie?" Jo asked. "I just baked them today."
Michonne crinkled her face up. Jo already had the cookie in sight of the toddler and there would be a meltdown if she didn't get it now.
"I don't know…" Michonne said. "I think the only way I'd let her have a cookie is if there's one there for me too. I need to taste them…make sure they're good."
Jo chuckled and handed Michonne a cookie before offering one to the little girl and then balancing the tin that she had filled with cookies in her hand. Anjelica propped on her hip and making a mess with the cookie, Jo passed through the house offering the tin to anyone who thought they might like one, even breaking one in half and offering Lincoln a piece when he followed her back to the table to investigate if the tin might hold something of interest.
"Any good?" Jo asked, directing her question at Michonne.
Michonne crinkled her face and shook her head slightly.
"I'm still not sure," Michonne said. "I believe I'm going to have to one more…for research purposes."
Everyone laughed at that and Jo held the tin out so that Michonne could come and get another. When she brought it back to the table, Daryl leaned up from his seat and dug in to get another for himself as well.
Hershel chuckled.
"Y'all eating all this food is going to go to Jo's head," Hershel said. "Goodness knows we don't need more of that."
Jo leaned over and swatted at Hershel and Anjelica, seeing that something was happening and apparently it was happening to the cookie lady…who right now took precedence over Santa…scolded Hershel in a harsh tone that made him raise his eyebrows at her and made everyone else laugh.
After a bit, they finished eating and Michonne stuck around long enough to help Jo with the dishes while everyone else chatted and passed the time.
When all was cleaned up, and order was restored, Daryl walked to the door and said goodbye to everyone as they filed out. He was happy to see them when they were there, he was a little sad to see them go sometimes, but he had to admit that as soon as he closed the door and locked it, he was glad to have his home back again.
Daryl let Lincoln out and finished getting everything ready. It wasn't time for bed if they were younger than ninety probably, considering that he doubted even Hershel and Miss Jo were going to bed as soon as they got home, but it was time for bed in Daryl's opinion all the same.
"Ya ready ta take a load off with me, woman?" Daryl asked, going over to the couch and helping Carol up.
Carol sighed.
"Why not…it's what I've been doing for weeks now," she said.
Daryl chuckled and leaned in, kissing her on the temple softly and smelling her hair.
"Ain't gon' be too damn much longer and the doc says ya can run a marathon if ya want to ta get Lil' Bit to come out…and I reckon when that day comes…I might have some pretty good ideas about what'cha could do ta wear yaself out," Daryl said.
Carol groaned at him.
"Don't tease me, Daryl…it isn't fair," Carol said.
Daryl chuckled.
"Who's teasin'? I'm buildin' up stamina just ta be ready for it. Read in them pamphlets I got that there's a surefire way ta run a baby out that don't wanta stay in," Daryl said. "Figure might as well test the theory."
Carol groaned and shuffled toward the bedroom slowly, stretching and enjoying the little bit of time that she was allowed to be up and about.
"And if she's not hardheaded and she decides to come right out as soon as I start having normal days?" Carol asked.
Daryl gnawed his lip and thought about it.
"Then we better be quicker'n she is…that's all the hell I can figure for that," Daryl said.
Carol chuckled and turned around, reaching her arms out for Daryl. He stepped forward, wrapping his around her and she sunk into him a moment, her chest against his. He rested his chin on the top of her head, deciding not to tell her for the moment that she needed to hurry up and get in bed.
"You know why Michonne's postponing her wedding, don't you?" Carol mumbled.
"Flowers is wrong," Daryl said. "An' she don't like the park even though she picked it three different times…"
Carol chuckled.
"She's postponing it because Andrea wanted to be in it so bad…" Carol said. "She won't say it, but that's it."
Daryl grunted his understanding and moved his head enough to kiss the top of Carol's, her hair tickling his nose.
"You women can be some complicated damn creatures," Daryl said. He chuckled and Carol echoed it.
"And soon you're going to have two of us full time," she said.
Daryl rubbed his hands up and down her back.
"Can't fuckin' wait," he said. He pushed her off of him a little. "But'cha better get on in there an' get ta bed…might want her ta be here, but I don't want her comin' 'til the doc says she can."
Carol sighed and growled at Daryl, but she was smiling despite the growl. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, sinking into the kiss for a moment and letting them both enjoy it. When he pulled out he growled playfully at her.
"Don't wanna hear no more a' ya mouth," he said, almost laughing and wrecking his attempt at an angry tone. "Get in there now 'fore ya make me mad."
Carol laughed.
"I love you," she said, grinning at him.
Daryl chuckled and then did his best to get his angry face back in place even though the smile was still toying with the corners of his mouth.
"I love ya too…but'cha heard me…move woman!" He growled.
Carol laughed again and turned, heading into the bedroom and Daryl followed her, feeling grateful for so many things…whether or not it was right to feel grateful for some of them…and ready to curl up in bed with Carol and wait for sleep to overtake them both.